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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000055.txt from 2004/08
From: "Angela Wells" <oneflute1oboe@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] Aging reeds -> softer? (was: Great Reeds)
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2004 13:17:37 -0400
Hi Rhondda,
Thanks for the advice!
I didn't realize it, but I sort of do this with a lot of my reeds. I make a
reed, play on it a little, decide that it's not too great, and come back to
it the next day. I thought it was just a good idea to start over with a
fresh perspective on it. The next day, I either give the reed the wall test
or finish it some more, depending on how bleak things are looking. Then I
take it out one more time right before I sell it, and either leave it alone
or finish it the tiniest bit.
Some reeds are good on the first day. Maybe these are the ones I should be
concerned about over the long haul... or maybe it's just a lucky reed day?
I do keep a good reed around- occasionally, if I just love it too much to
part with it. But I think you're right about needing to experience good
reeds on a regular basis in order to recognize them when they come around.
Thanks again.
:-)Angela:-)
----Original Message Follows----
From: Rhondda May <rmay@-----.com>
Reply-To: rmay@-----.com
To: doublereed@-----.org
Subject: Re: [DR-L] Aging reeds -> softer? (was: Great Reeds)
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2004 20:47:37 +0800
Hi Angela,
Reeds get softer because your saliva breaks down the fibers.
Think of the life of the reed as a continuum; when it's really new, the
fibers have just been exposed by your scraping, as you play on the reed,
more fibers are broken down; and a dead reed has been digested too much.
Yes, you do have to think about this when you're making reeds to sell,
especially if you're making them for students, because students don't
usually have the embouchure to play on a reed enough to break it in if
it's too hard and "fresh."
Probably the best way to do this is: when the reed is beginning to be
"playable" - that is, it doesn't kill you to play on it but it's not
finished yet - play gentle scales or short melodic exercises on it for
5-10 minutes and then let it rest. Make 4-5 reeds at one sitting, and
don't try to finish each one of them, just get them to the same point.
Then put them away. Make sure they dry completely.
Do your main practice on a really good reed. If you only play on very
"fresh" reeds or dead reeds, you will not only not recognize a great
reed when it's at its "great" point, you'll never learn to play below a
mp or end a note properly. For that you need flexibility, and
flexibility takes time and gradual scraping.
As you break in the new reeds, probably some will not get sold because
they'll turn into great reeds (relatively speaking, of course), and
maybe others that you didn't give much chance to initially will improve
as you play on them.
Good luck!!!
Rhondda
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